Everyone makes mistakes! And a mistake while you’re researching your family just helps you move up that genealogy learning curve. Here are ten of the most common mistakes we all make to help prevent as many as possible in your journey of discovery. 1. Forgetting to record information on family history forms Organisation is key… Read more

If you discover a civil engineer amongst your ancestors, prepare to embark on a voyage of discovery. Coined in the 1770s by John Smeaton, the term ‘civil engineer’ was used to differentiate from military engineers. In 1818, the ICE was founded primarily as a way for young engineers to meet and discuss engineering at a… Read more

At the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, we aim to improve the world through engineering. Our membership has reflected the advances in technology and living standards since the start of the industrial revolution. The brilliant engineering feats of our members since we formed in 1847 have helped engineer and shape the world we live in today.… Read more

Surrey Parish Records 1538-1987 – now online The recently released Surrey Parish Records, 1538-1987 are the latest addition to our extensive family of UK parish registers. They include more than 2 million new records of baptisms, marriages and burials from the county. These records have been digitised in association with Surrey County Council’s Surrey History… Read more

We’ve been running our ‘Boxes’ TV ads for a while now. I’m sure most of you have seen them – with the animated vines and leaves, and the iconic Ancestry box. One of the key phrases in these ads is ‘Exploring your family’s past has never been easier’. I’ve always been delighted that this line… Read more

I have been exploring the records of the Foundling Hospital since the 1980s – and still enjoy every minute of the time I spend on them. Recent work on tokens that parents left at the Hospital with their babies as identifiers 250 years ago shows that the system in place was a simple one and… Read more

The predicted bad weather will be a rare opportunity to explore new records about my London-based ancestors. So many new records are now available for London on Ancestry.co.uk that a quick foray shows me I can add lots of data to what was previously exhausted research. To start things off nicely I have found a… Read more

Last weekend, I wrote about looking for a character in my tree that I was struggling with. I spent some much-needed time over the Bank Holiday researching him. As a reminder this is what I knew of him. Alexander Cumberbatche paid to become a Freeman of the City of Bristol on 17th May 1618. He… Read more

The long Easter weekend is coming. A four-day weekend can be a precious opportunity to get things done. Traditionally it coincides with the start of the DIY season and bringing our gardens back under control. Do spare a little time for your family history research though. This weekend you can enjoy free access to the… Read more

Free access – 1911 & 1901 Census Records – All Bank Holiday weekend! Many of my earliest memories centre around my grandparents. I remember their enormous conservatory, the ancient grandfather clock that woke me up every time I stayed over, and especially their unruly pack of long-haired dachshunds. But despite all the time I spent… Read more